


approximations : calculations

by Shinkirou



Category: K (Anime)
Genre: First Meetings, Gen, Gen or Pre-Slash, Minor Violence, Non-Graphic Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-01
Updated: 2015-05-01
Packaged: 2018-03-26 15:05:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,789
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3855079
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shinkirou/pseuds/Shinkirou
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They're polar opposites, really, but also somehow the same.</p>
            </blockquote>





	approximations : calculations

**Author's Note:**

> Canon will probably disprove this at some point but shhh, this is what I like to pretend went down.

From the moment Suoh lays eyes on the newly crowned Blue King, he just _knows_ they're not going to get along. 

Anyone who looked at them would surely say they're complete opposites. Suoh, with his laid back demeanour and general 'I don't give a fuck' attitude, and then this guy, all uptight in a uniform and looking all prim and proper and orderly. 

He's even the one that asked for this 'meeting', so to speak. Formalities... They're a hassle, and Suoh wasn't going to bother showing up, but Kusanagi reminded him that it would probably be better to _not_ go out of his way to antagonize the new Blue, and murmurs that who knows, maybe they'll get along better than expected!

Kusanagi's wrong, of course. 

Munakata Reishi, as he introduces himself, is just as formal and excessively polite as Suoh expected he would be. They're the same age, it seems, but anyone who saw them together might not think so. Munakata's all refined elegance, and Suoh's barely suppressing a yawn as he listens to his new counterpart prattle on about this and that, all things Suoh doesn't really care about. 

Of course, once Munakata's apparently done talking, he gives Suoh a rather bland look, "And I suppose you didn't get any of that." 

Suoh blinks lazily, refocusing his wandering attention on the blue in front of him. "You 'suppose' right." 

Munakata sighs... But somehow it sounds more like that of a school teacher dealing with a particularly stubborn school child than anything. It rubs Suoh the wrong way - it's not like he thinks highly of himself, but where does this newbie get off acting all high and mighty? 

"Unfortunately, I can't say I'm surprised to hear that. I'll try to use smaller words this time, then." 

_That_ does it. Suoh's eyes narrow slightly, dangerously, but Munakata either has an excellent poker face or he doesn't care. "Oi, not like I'm stupid. I just don't care. You do whatever you think you should, 'n' I'll do whatever I want to, that's that." 

Munakata's expression grows somewhat bored. "You'd like that, wouldn't you? Well, unfortunately for you, I'm afraid I won't just let that sort of thing slide. Either learn to--" 

Suoh cracks his knuckles and dives at Munakata without any further warning, aura hot and bright. He doesn't even want to hear the rest of what this asshole has to say, so while it's not a killing blow, it should at least be enough to shut him up. Or at least scare him into not being such a stuck-up bitch. 

Before he even lands the hit, Munakata's sheathed sword is colliding with the side of his arm, forcing him slightly off balance, and then the Blue King ducks - fast - and kicks Suoh's legs out from under him. Just as Suoh's about to try to reach a hand out to catch himself, Munakata catches him by that same arm, yanking back on it and placing a boot on his lower back to pin him. It stops Suoh's head from hitting the ground, but it's also pretty damn uncomfortable! 

Alright, so maybe Suoh had underestimated him. He snarls and whips his head around, but Munakata only looks bored. 

"If you're going to try something so stupidly obvious, at least do it like you mean it. You weren't even trying to hurt me." He lets go of Suoh's arm and steps off of him. "I didn't even use my aura." 

Suoh's up in a flash. It's true, he'd held back last time, so this time he won't. Well, to some degree he still will - he doesn't want to catch his clansmen in an explosion - but at least he'll actually fight. He thinks he sees the slightest trace of an amused smirk on Munakata's face, but he doesn't say anything, merely turns and meets him head on.

Munakata meets him blow for blow, sword still sheathed, using the scabbard like he's not taking this seriously at all. For all that Suoh thought he'd seen a smirk, Munakata's expression now is still just cold, calculated - focused. Suoh's... Surprised. Not by the focus, no - that seems rather _like_ Munakata, honestly - but that they're so evenly matched. 

Except it seems, somehow, like Munakata's putting in less effort than he is. That's not a good sign. 

Each time Suoh thinks he's going to land a hit, Munakata's either suddenly not there or his aura is between them, stopping Suoh's in it's tracks. But that doesn't mean Suoh's going to give up. They're both hitting hard, sparks flying, kicking up debris as they go, laying ruin to a thankfully unoccupied forest. Suoh has to wonder if Munakata called this meeting on the outskirts of town for exactly this reason - did he know they'd end up fighting? Seemed he really was quite the strategist, just as Suoh had figured. 

More than anything, though, Munakata is _fast_ , and it only takes a few minutes before Suoh ends up on his back on the ground, Munakata's scabbard pushed threateningly against his throat. It's not his bare sword, no, but it would still hurt like a bitch to have it rammed into his skin. 

Of course Munakata starts talking again. "I'm rather offended, honestly - just how lowly are you thinking of me? Either that or you're really just that weak, which at least would make this easier than I'd expected. Perhaps you've grown a little too comfortable in that lazy life of yours." He sighs, pulling his scabbard away and clipping it to his belt again, then continues, "Listen to me, Suoh Mikoto: you don't have to like me, or even pretend to get along with me, but you _will_ respect me. You've been a King longer than I have, yes, but you also seem to be a rather awful one. Either you work with me, which means I'll leave you alone for the most part, or you fight me every step of the way, and we do this over and over again. I'll beat you down as many times as it takes, without hesitation." Then a scoff, "Though don't worry, I'm not expecting much from you." 

It's not something Suoh was consciously aware he'd been looking for, but as he lays there dazed on the ground listening to Munakata mouth off, he has a sort of sudden realization. Not some grand epiphany that'll make him change his ways or anything, no, but he is surprised at himself. To think that he was looking, subconsciously, for someone who would fight him, could be his equal... Sure, he loves Kusanagi and Totsuka dearly, but they almost never make him do anything. They're comfortable, and he cares about them, but they don't generally rouse him and make him want to compete for anything. 

He hates his destructive urges, yet here's someone who can let him work off some of them and still keep him under control. Totsuka does a good job calming them, but it doesn't help in the long run, always just shoving them down. They only come back later. So right now, with his blood singing as it pounds though his body, high on the adrenaline of a good fight, he feels _alive_ , more than he has in a long time. 

He laughs. 

Just once, and not terribly loudly - more of an amused snort, probably - but it's something he hasn't done in a while. Munakata's expression is somewhat cold, but Suoh notes that he doesn't seem worried, anyway. It seems the Blue King knows they're done fighting for today. 

Suoh sits up, smirking just slightly. "... Alright. Guess I can try to cooperate sometimes." 

It's strange - they certainly don't know each other that well, and yet Suoh sees the way Munakata's demeanour shifts completely, expression matching Suoh's own to some degree. "Oh? Only sometimes? Then I suppose I'll just have to keep beating you into the ground whenever you get too troublesome. How tedious." 

Suoh waves a dismissive hand, "You talk too much. Words are annoying. Actions are simple." 

Munakata's smirk only widens a bit at that, clearly mildly amused now. "How violent, wanting to fight all the time rather than just talk. What a brute." 

Suoh just shrugs in a 'what can you do' sort of manner, and blinks when Munakata's hand is abruptly in front of him. He's surprised Munakata would offer to help him up. More than that, he's surprised that he accepts it, clasping his hand against Munakata's almost like they're sealing a deal instead of Suoh merely being helped up. 

Once Suoh's up, he brushes himself off, figuring he'll need a proper shower to get all of the dust and debris completely off of him, but before Munakata can say any words of parting, Suoh speaks up, first for once, "Won't go so easy on you next time." He's still smirking, but he means that more than Munakata knows. 

Or at least he'd assumed that much. Munakata's expression gets a little subdued, but he nods firmly. "... Alright." Then he smiles politely, "I'm sure we'll run into each other again. I do hope it isn't too soon, though."

Suoh nods, feeling a little off - did Munakata...? "... Yeah. See you around."

Munakata turns to leave, and Suoh finds himself staring after him. The new Blue King... He seemed perceptive. That shift when Suoh said he wouldn't hold back... Did he really know about Suoh's destructive urges? That being able to let loose now and then would help him? Suoh hadn't said anything, though, and he's sure it's not in any records or anything, since he's never told anyone. Anna might know, given her powers, but Suoh knows she'd never say anything, let alone to a Blue clansmen, and certainly not their King. 

Another emotion he hasn't felt in a while from anything other than a nightmare wells up: discomfort. The fact that he'd apparently been read so easily... Just what was this new Blue King made out of? 

Yet... For all that he feels rather unsettled, he doesn't think Munakata wants to actually hurt him. Somehow it almost seems more like... He wants to help. 

If he really figured out that Suoh needed serious help with his aura, just from that one fight... If they fought again, just how much further would Munakata pry? What else would he learn without Suoh actively telling him? Then again, maybe he's just reading too much into it. Perhaps Munakata was only making that face because he was taking Suoh seriously and anticipating a bigger fight next time. 

... That seems unlikely though, somehow. 

Suoh chuckles to himself, decidedly less amused now than before. It's not quite fear, but he wouldn't say he's comfortable, either. Not a way he's felt in a long time. 

Underestimated, indeed.


End file.
